Orange is the New Black season 5 episode 6 review: Doggett on trial, Samira Wiley returns
The inmates of Litchfield no longer have Judy King and they no longer have the gun, and while this information may not have trickled down to everyone yet, it’s going to be a problem if they want their demands met. Orange is the New Black season 5 has been a lot of chaos, but the message has been solid throughout – better treatment for everyone at the prison. It’s not an unreasonable request, we just wonder if they are actually going to be able to get what they want now that they have nothing left to bargain with.
Everyone now knows that Doggett gave the gun to Coates and that he is no longer in the prison, and while most of the prison has turned against her, Boo is still in her corner acting as her lawyer so to speak. When Boo has a chance to talk to Doggett, she tells her that they are going to have to put on a really good show of remorse if she’s going to get out of this alive, so she brings out the waterworks. It’s not enough to change anyone’s minds and they hold a prison court to decide Doggett’s fate. After Boo discredits Angie as a credible witness to Doggett giving Coates the gun, Doggett decides to come clean and tell everyone what she did. The jury comes to a decision and they give her community service as punishment for her crime saying that they want to focus on rehabilitation.
Ever since Nicole admitted out loud to being in love with Lorna, we have been wondering if there was going to be any advancement in their relationship, but their story has been seriously buried in the background. While Lorna doesn’t admit to loving Nicole back she does start up a physical relationship with her again. Will this only last for the riot since she still has Vinnie? Afterwards Lorna claims that she’s pregnant (she doesn’t really know, she just suspects) and uses her hormones being out of wack as the excuse of her being with her again. Nicole can’t take this yo-yo rejection anymore and tells Lorna that even though she loves her, she is never going to be with her again. As someone that has been rooting for these two to find love together, we have to say that we are getting tired of watching the yo-yo back and forth of Lorna as well. It has been 5 season of this! Good for Nicole for finally taking a stand and moving forward.
The Governor is trying to find a way to peacefully end the riot and it’s starting with giving the women some of the demand they wanted as well as contact with a woman named Nita who is hoping to keep the lines of communication open. When they open the boxes and find some snack inside and Taystee thinks that progress is being made. Later Nita calls Taystee to discuss the release of the hostages, but Taystee doesn’t feel that giving them Takis and flaming hot Cheetos equals releasing hostages. Nita promises that if they surrender the hostages that they will “do their best” to meet the rest of their demands. Taystee hangs up on her knowing that “doing their best” is a nice way of saying “no”. Taystee rounds up all the snacks and lights them on fire in front of the media as a way to tell the Governor that his bribe isn’t good enough. They want real changes.
The one thing we have liked seeing is the after effects the death of Poussey has had on Bayley. He’s not like Piscatella who got away with murdering an inmate without another thought – Bayley knows he was in the wrong and is trying to find a way to make it right. Unfortunately, with no one taking him seriously when it comes to him wanting to be locked up for his crime, he’s now contemplating suicide and even tried to attempt it by drinking dye (which turned out to be non-toxic). The show has done a good job of giving some sympathy to this character.
This season has made us miss having Samira Wiley on the show in a big bad way, so when we had just that small moment at the end of the episode where we got to see her in a flash back was easily the best part of the season for us. Poussey has always been our favorite character and we were crushed when she left the show. We knew we would miss her, but it didn’t really kick in just how much we missed her as our beacon of hope in the prison until we saw that beautiful Poussey smile again. Episode grade: A-
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